Question

A 6800 kilogram school bus hits the brakes and slows down at an acceleration of -2.5 m/s². What was the net force on the school bus from the brakes?

A) 17000 N
B) -17000 N
C) 1700 N
D) -1700 N

Answer 1

The net force on the school bus from the brakes is -17000 Newtons, calculated using Newton's second law of motion (F = ma), indicating a deceleration force.

Step-by-step explanation:

To calculate the net force exerted by the brakes on a school bus, we can use Newton's second law of motion, which states that the force acting on an object equals its mass times its acceleration (F = ma). Given the mass of the bus is 6800 kilograms and the acceleration due to braking is -2.5 m/s² (negative since the bus is decelerating), we can compute the net force as follows:

Net Force (F) = mass (m) × acceleration (a)

Net Force (F) = 6800 kg × (-2.5 m/s²) = -17000 N.

The negative sign indicates that the force is in the opposite direction to the movement - in other words, it is a braking force.